


Costume

by Madilayn



Series: Prompt Fics [12]
Category: Thunderbirds, thunderbirds are go
Genre: Brothers, Gen, Halloween prompt, Hurt/Comfort, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 11:09:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5088428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madilayn/pseuds/Madilayn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alan used to dress up in his father's uniform.  Now it's not a costume any more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Costume

**Author's Note:**

> Scribbles97 on Tumblr asked for some TAG halloween art & fics. I think this sort of qualifies.

It wasn’t that long ago he dressed up in his father’s flight suit for Halloween – or at least a small version of it. To an 8 year old boy who wanted to be just like daddy, to be Colonel Jeff Tracy, Astronaut, was the ultimate in costumes.

But now… It was like that costume had become a nightmare, and this was no costume. This Halloween was like some insane prank gone badly wrong. At 16, he shouldn’t be dressed like this. He should still be being trained in between doing the college level classes he was taking via correspondence. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do this – in his soul, he wanted this more than anything. But not now. Not in these circumstances. He couldn’t stop a small sob escaping as he looked at himself in the mirror. It wasn’t exactly the same as dad’s suit, but the red sash – that was dad’s colour. The colour of Thunderbird Three. 

Dad’s ship. John’s secondary ship. Not his. Not yet at least. 

A blue clad hand with long graceful fingers rested on his shoulder. “I can’t do it, John! I just can’t,” Alan sobbed, turning to his older brother and burying his face against him. “I don’t want this. Not yet. Not alone.”

John hugged him close. “I know, Allie. It’s not the best but we’ve no choice now. I wish you didn’t have to either.”

“Can’t this just be a bad Halloween prank? One that Dad and Auntie Val cooked up between them? That they’ll both turn up suddenly?”

“I wish it was. More than anything I wish it was. But it’s not. And you won’t be alone. I’m going to be with you for this. Until you’re confident.”

“I know… but….” Alan raised his head. He looked again like the 8 year old in a copy of his father’s uniform. “I just want dad back.” This time he sobbed openly, his tears streaming freely down his face, and he buried himself again back against John’s chest. 

John’s arms curled around Alan and held him close, his cheek resting on the soft blonde hair of his baby brother. “So do I Allie. So do I.”

The two stood there a long time, until tears ended and hurt was partway soothed by loving arms. Finally, John raised his head and loosened his grip on his younger brother. He smiled gently down at him. “Are you ready to give this a go, Alan? For Dad?”

Alan hiccupped but nodded. “No…. but I will. Because I want to. And because I want to make dad proud.”

John didn’t remove his arm from around Alan’s shoulders as they went towards the lounge area and they both settled in the seats. For the first time, Alan sat in the pilot’s seat. He looked at Scott who was standing near the desk that dominated the room.

Scott didn’t question the tear stains on both brothers’ faces. He had his own and knew why. But he did smile at the determination that Alan was showing. “Ready?”

Alan nodded. “Ready. Thunderbird 3 is Go.”


End file.
